Drytac materials supercharge installation times for Signs Express

Materials manufacturer, Drytac, has revealed details of the England World Cup Fanatics Shop Experience which utilised its materials at London’s iconic Carnaby Street earlier this year.

The installation was completed by UK-based sign and graphics specialist, Signs Express, which selected a range of Drytac printable media and laminates to deliver a fast-turnaround retail installation for football fans during the early stages of this year’s World Cup.

The company has worked with Fanatics for the past 12 months, producing a series of temporary retail pop-up shops for major sporting and entertainment events including the Oasis reunion tour, the NFL London Games, and Target Darts.

With many of these projects requiring installation within as little as 48 hours' notice, having reliable materials readily available was critical.

Signs Express utilised its close working relationship with Drytac and the company's nearby manufacturing facility to quickly source products and keep the projects on schedule.

Drytac products are available exclusively throughout the UK and Ireland from Premier and Premier GPMI, Drytac's exclusive distribution partners for the region.

As these retail environments are often installed overnight and removed just a few days later, the graphics had to be quick to install, easy to remove, and leave surfaces clean and undamaged.

Previously, Signs Express relied on a standard removable vinyl for these projects. However, after attending a Drytac product demonstration with Mark de Lancey, head of sales for UK and Ireland at Drytac, the company began using its SpotOn vinyl, which provided significant improvements in installation and removal time.

For the Carnaby Street installation, the client wanted the primary window graphics to be installed internally using Drytac's ViziPrint Impress Clear, an optically clear PET film designed to deliver high graphic clarity while maintaining a premium glass appearance.

However, the windows also needed to remain concealed until the official store launch. To achieve this, Signs Express applied SpotOn White M50 to the exterior of the windows, with its dot-pattern adhesive graphic allowing for easier installation and complete visual coverage before it was peeled away quickly and cleanly for the official unveiling.

ReTac Smooth 150 was selected for the storefront branding. Its thicker 150µ (6mm) face film made installation easier than traditional thinner films, particularly valuable when working against tight deadlines, while ReTac's permanently peelable adhesive allowed the graphics to be removed cleanly without damaging the surface underneath.

Elsewhere throughout the installation, Polar Choice was paired with Interlam Pro Emerytex for the floor graphics and locker wraps, offering high durability and fire performance for high-traffic retail environments.

All graphics were produced on a HP Latex 830W printer, with its fast-curing technology helping the team to maintain print quality while meeting the demanding production schedules.

Following the success of the Carnaby Street installation, Signs Express went on to produce a further 15 pop-up retail stores in just two months, using a wide range of Drytac products.

Mark de Lancey, head of sales for UK and Ireland at Drytac, says: "It has been fantastic to see Signs Express utilise multiple Drytac solutions across a single installation, from windows and storefront graphics to floor graphics and interior displays.

“The success of this project demonstrates how selecting the right materials can help print providers work more efficiently while delivering an exceptional experience for their customers."